1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for plating a metal strip in an electrolytic cell. More specifically the invention relates to an apparatus for plating a metal strip, which apparatus can generate an deposit of consistent thickness on the surface of the metal strip.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a horizontal pass-line type of apparatus for simultaneously plating the upper and lower surface of a metal strip, deflector rolls have been generally used near the opposing inside walls in a plating bath in order to deflect the flow direction of the metal strip fed from a point outside of the plating bath. However, when the distance between the deflectors is relatively large, the metal strip will be warped across its width and may have a large catenary longitudinally, so that the distance between the metal strip and electrodes of the apparatus is not constant. In this condition, when the metal strip is plated in the plating bath, a deposit of uneven thickness tends to occur on the surfaces of the metal strip. Therefore, a conventional apparatus is provided with deflector rolls as well as snubber rolls or presser rolls, which clamp the metal strip, so as to decrease the warp in the lateral and longitudinal catenary of the metal strip.
However, since the deflector rolls and snubber rolls in the aforementioned apparatus rotate so that one presses against another under a predetermined pressure in the electrolytic solution, there is a problem in that the rolls do not tend to clamp only the metal strip but also foreign matter, such as sludge and slimes, in the plating bath, thereby marring the metal strip.